iMessages encrypted data could be retrieved by Apple

Sydney, June 19 (ANI): Software giant Apple had earlier claimed that the US government has no access to its servers but has recently said that it could not furnish certain data to the government even if it wanted to.

According to Mashable, Apple has said that data of iMessages and Face Time is protected by end-to-end encryption so that no one apart from the sender or receiver can view it adding that even Apple cannot decrypt that data.

However, a former Apple employee has said that a set of 'cryptographic keys', similar to a password used to scramble messages, is created and stored on each device which only rules out the possibility of real time interception.

The ex-employee further said that the keys don't prevent Apple from accessing the iMessages as they are automatically stored in Apple's backup system iCloud as part of its normal data back up.

Julian Sanchez, a civil liberties and technology research fellow at the Cato Institute, said that iMessages may not be interceptable from a suspect's cell carrier, but Apple has to be capable of handing them over when the authorities come knocking with a warrant.

The report further said that Apple has never revealed the details about their encryption scheme, which indicates that there is a possibility of the company's ability to furnish the data from iMessages or iCloud if pressurized by the government agencies. (ANI)

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